SOMETIMES you have to go back to go forward – as Brisbane Lions utility Ash McGrath is currently proving.
In recent seasons McGrath has built a reputation as a fleet-of-foot goalsneak, kicking a personal-best 35 goals in 2005.
But an injury-plagued pre-season has resulted in a 2008 return to the backline, where he began his AFL career seven seasons ago.
McGrath had knee surgery late in the pre-season and then injured an ankle while on the comeback trail.
"This year I had those injuries and it meant that Nuxy (Anthony Corrie) and Rhan (Hooper) got their chance in the forward line and they’ve been doing a good job," McGrath said.
"Leigh gave me a shot back in defence and I’m enjoying it. You know the small forwards you play on are going to lead you to the ball and it’s a matter of sticking with it and running off them when you can to hit up a forward.
"I know as a forward how much Browny and Braddy love it when you are able to get the ball in quickly to them."
Saturday night’s 31-point victory over the Kangaroos was notable for several injury scares, with McGrath one of three Lions to end the game on the bench because of hamstring tightness.
Then there was the frightening moment midway through the third term, when spearhead Jonathan Brown hobbled off with what at first looked to be a serious knee injury.
"I didn’t realise what had happened (to Brown) until the crowd clapped him off," McGrath said.
"That was when I had a look up to the big screen and saw him go down on the replay.
"I think we had enough blokes down there to cover – Mitch Clark went forward and Braddy was on fire again.
"I tried not to take too much notice but obviously he came back and looks all right so that’s really good for us."
The Lions will host Fremantle at the Gabba on Sunday and McGrath believes he and his teammates can carry through confidence from a strong finish against the Roos.
Coach Leigh Matthews had asked the Lions for a more sustained four-quarter effort and against North Melbourne the playing group provided it.
"The last few weeks we’d been disappointing in the last quarter so we made a conscious effort to grind things out tonight," McGrath said.
"We’ve had a pretty good month of footy and the confidence is starting to flow. The next couple of games will be pretty big for us.
"We have Freo next week and we can’t take them lightly, even though they haven’t been going too well and they have to make the trip from Perth off a shorter turnaround.
"After that we go to Melbourne and play the Bulldogs and that will be another big match for us."
